Not your processed dairy free cheese!

Maybe you,like me, would rather skip dairy free cheese and treat your senses to real cheese once in awhile. I feel a lot better about having an occasional real Gouda than a dietary switch to highly processed oily gummy processed vegan cheese comprised of a laboratory list of ingredients. Thats my take on gluten free bread too. However, this delightful dairy free cheese filling in this fresh recipe you can whip up from pine nuts and a few other whole foods. No xantham or guar gums, processed oils or cooking necessary!

Raw twist on Mediterranean Dolmas

Dolmas are a family of stuffed vegetable dishes common in Balkans, the Caucasus, Russia, Central Asia and Middle East. Oftentimes rice comprises the bulk the filling. However, you wont miss the rice due to the full bodied taste and creaminess that happens when summer squash and pine nuts mixed with herbs and garlic melt in your mouth. Fresh orange, mint, soaked fruit and diced sweet onion add top notes of cooling sweet freshness as well as textures that keep your taste buds humming 🙂 This dairy free cheese will linger in your food porn fantasies …

Since grapes grow profusely in the Mediterranean, grape leaves commonly serve as wraps to hold the filling. Where I live in Texas grapeleaves arent as easily found, so I substitute with Dinosaur kale. It works execptionally well. However, any edible flat leaved evegtable will work. Ofcourse olives and olive oil help bring out the Mediterranean quality of this dish. Raw dolmas feel light and refreshing enough as entrees in the heat of summer but can also work as spectacular appetizers in the cooler months. Invite your whole family to the creative process 😀 Have fun watching your dolmas come to life as you sprinkle colorful edible flower petals!

The Recipe

The recipe comes in three parts: soaking, blending + mixing, and wrapping . I highly suggest making the dipping sauce to complement your dish.

cut the kale lengthwise and cut off the
stem. to soften kale a bit. soak overnight in the fridge in
some salt water drizzle a little bit of olive oil extra virgin and cold press if
you can find it. a more flavorful option is to crush some raw garlic add some sea
salt or Himalayan salt and leave that in an olive oil overnight. add dill now or
reserve it for the dipping sauce you can also optional, peeled eggplant Julienne
and soak in sea salt and balsamic vinegar 24 hours or more. then drain it
well. time for the dairy free pine nut cheese filling. I put half the pine nuts squash juice from one lemon and a couple garlic cloves and then blend to puree consistency in a
food processor. to my puree I will add drained dry fruit sea salt fresh mint
and parsley this is a orange orange or lemon.

dipping sauce:

I blend the following the remaining half of the soaked pine nuts shredded coconut which I soaked overnight the remaining half of the soaked dry fruit couple garlic cloves, Habanero, the juice from one lemon and blend very well.
Now mix dill mint and olive oil into your sauce add some marigold petals or
other edible flowers for decoration.

If you don’t want to mess with the sauce you can blend the sauce recipe into the dairy free pine nut cheese filling just make sure not to add too much liquid.

remember to warn your guests to watch out for the
toothpick!

Better yet: go eggroll style: crisp on the outside and warm and flavorful within! The kale will mold around the filling, so take out toothpicks once done. Takes 4-6 hrs depending on temperature. Enjoy while hot!